


The Weight of a Choice

by dreaminginscenes



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Blood, Blood and Violence, Character Death, F/M, Injury, Interactive, Interactive Fiction, Interrogation, Major Character Injury, Mental Breakdown, Murder, Police, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prison, Psychological Trauma, Reader-Interactive, Trauma, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 00:03:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20787278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreaminginscenes/pseuds/dreaminginscenes
Summary: Ladybug says she murdered Hawkmoth, but what actually occurred is unclear.Reader Interactive:Is Ladybug actually guilty? Write in the comments what you think happened!





	1. A Cold Hallway

**Author's Note:**

> I decided NOT to decide what actually happened! I want YOU to figure it out! Write in your theories and ideas—what happened, if she’s guilty, etc. I will take my inspiration from that!  
Credit WILL be given to contributors!

The florescent lights hummed with the electric buzz that rings between the ears in the most uncomfortable way. Solid tiles gave no vibration beneath her feet, leaving her heels to clack and echo across the gray hall.

The policeman before her let out a dejected sigh and fished his keys from his pocket. Nadja couldn't blame his gruff and quiet manner this morning; no one had felt particularly cheerful since last night.

Nadja's stomach gave a sick flop at the thought of the impending interview. She would be an idiot to turn down the most sought-after news story of the decade, but it certainly wasn't one that would bring her--or her viewers--any amount of joy. She let out a small cough to clear her throat, hopefully hiding some of her discomfort. Ms. Chamack had to be professional, no matter what.

The policeman--Officer Raincomprix--turned to the second to last set of doors in the hall. He cast her a quick side glance, as though questioning her resolve. Nadja straightened her jacket. Of course she was; she had to be. Paris was depending on her for the truth.

With a definitive click, Raincomprix gripped the metal handle and cracked the door open.

Nadja held her breath; maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe everything they saw last night was not what they thought. Maybe the truth would bring much needed relief to a city now falling apart at the seams.

_Or...maybe it really is that horrific._

Nadja shook the thought from her mind. _Emotionless_, she reminded herself. _Stay emotionless. In a couple hours you can be home with Manon._

She slipped through the narrow opening; Officer Raincomprix's shadow disappeared down the hall as she clicked the handle shut. The thought that he and several others were on the other side of the one-way glass kept her from bolting out of the room. Steeling herself, Nadja finally turned to face her interviewee.

Dark splotches mimicked the black spots in a grotesque impersonation. The dried stains traveled up the neck of the suit and across her face. Vacant crystal blues shone discordant against the shades of red.

Nadja’s eyes darted to the bolted-down table; the cuffs that held her gloved hands in place appeared sturdy enough, although Nadja’s primal instincts still begged her to turn tail.

Her gut nearly heaved as she surveyed the splatters again, noting the brown papery flakes crackling from the heroine’s clenched fists. She bit her lip; Paris had waited long enough. She had to keep it together...for now.

The metal chair let out a piercing scrape as she pulled it out, hands trembling. That gross lump in her throat gurgled again. Nadja had once sat across from the young woman, who had smiled so sweetly and promised to protect the people of Paris. Seeing that same girl shivering in her seat as though ready to strike out at any moment, Nadja couldn’t help but wonder if that had sentiment had always been a fantasy.

Nadja cleared her throat. The young woman focused her gaze at last.

"Ladybug, I just want to know the truth. We all do. If we can learn what really happened in the past 48 hours, we can clear everything for you. You can go home and we can pretend none of this ever happened. I just want to know." She fought against the tremble in her voice; she didn’t dare show her fear.

The young woman gave no response.

Nadja felt as discreetly as she could for the panic button just under the edge of the metal table. She didn't quite trust handcuffs to hold down a person who had displayed unpredictable supernatural tendencies.

The silence stretched on. Nadja wanted to avert her eyes from the electric stare. If she looked long enough, she feared her mind would unhinge as well. She began forming another question in her mind and reciting it over before the girl licked her cracked lips.

"I killed Hawkmoth," Her words were so low, they nearly disappeared beneath the hum of the lights.

Nadja's heart pumped ice, "You mean…by accident."

She shook her head once, "I killed him."


	2. The Battle—Part 1: Rooftops

Sirens were already blaring by the time she reached the roof. The eery wailing echoing through the brick alleys made her skin crawl against the tight red suit.

Ladybug whipped out her yo-yo, finger immediately hitting the button to call her partner. Blinking dots danced across the screen for only a second before Chat's face appeared, synthetic ears plastered back against the wind from his speed.

"Where are you?" He panted. There was no need for him to ask if she had seen it; the whole city had.

"On top of the tea shop. Hurry."

Chat managed a cocked grin. "As you wish, M'lady."

Ladybug stowed the yo-yo back on her belt and scanned the scene before her. The itching in her nerves was difficult to ignore. Every instinct screamed at her to dash off towards the pillar of blazing white light.

_Get here, Chat…_What was taking that cat so long? Another minute, and she would start off towards the Eiffel Tower's plaza with or without him.

The tell-tale clack of padded boots sounded behind her. She didn't bother to turn her gaze from the pillar as the recognizable silhouette of Chat perched beside her.

"See anything?" She prodded. His night vision was better than hers by a long shot.

Chat leaned over the scalloped edge of the tea house. "It's too bright to make out anything else around it. We have to get closer."

Ladybug scanned the roofs again for a proper vantage point. "Follow me. We'll stake out on top of that apartment block across from the plaza."

It took mere minutes for the heroes to traverse the Paris skyline. Eyes still fixed on the phenomenon, the pair crouched in the remaining shadow of a chimney.

Against the harsh light—cold despite its brilliance—the small chimney offered little cover for two people. Ladybug huddled closer to the bricks as Chat balanced himself around her. Even squinting at this distance, she couldn't discern the source of the pillar.

A shiver tingled through her calves, making her tense against the soot-covered bricks. Another shiver climbed up to her knees. Chat stiffen beside her as well. Her attention razor focused with a third one. It almost felt like the tremor of an earthquake buried deep in the ground, barely making its way to the surface. But it was too rhythmic to be natural.

"Hey," Chat whispered. "Is it…throbbing?"

"The light?" She returned her focus to the mysterious pillar. Maybe his heightened vision was aiding him, because she couldn't see a discernable change. "It's not doing anything--"

"Shhsh, wait…" His shoulders tensed even further with the next vibration. "There! Did you see that? The light, it's pulsating with the tremors!"

"I'll have to take your word for it,"

He remained fixated on the light, tensing and relaxing in time with the tremors. His focus was unnerving; anything that was able to put Chat Noir on edge was more than a little concerning.

"Can you see anything else?" She prodded.

Chat pursed his lips. "No, it's too bright still. I can only see the--"

His ears twitched; Chat snapped forward, poised to sprint.

"What?! What happened?!" Ladybug's heartbeat thudded in her ears.

A split second later she had her answer; a stronger tremor rattled through her feet to her shoulders. She could hear it now; a drum-like thrumming pounding at her ears and rocking the ground. Another followed, faster and faster and faster--

With lightning instincts Chat pressed them both flat against the wall half a second before the pillar of light exploded. She gasped as a rocketing blast of cold air ripped the oxygen from her lungs.

With a sickening drop the wind halted like the flip of a switch.

Her ears rang and she dared not open her eyes. Judging by Chat's protective grip around her, he hadn’t regained his bearings either.

A clawed grip shook her shoulder. "Ladybug, look."

She squinted through her lashes; the light was gone. Her vision struggled to readjust to the darkness but she could see the lone figure in the square, tall and broad.

An flash of orange shot from the rooftops down to the figure. Ladybug's hand shot to her yo-yo; she knew that bright spot of color anywhere.

"Volpina," Chat hissed. "What's she doing here?"

An icy susicion grabbed Ladybug's mind, "Chat…if that's Volpina…"

His green slit-eyes widened. "No way…"

The longer they stared, the more the mystery figure became horribly familiar; a purple color dissappearing into the darkness, punctuated by sweeping lapels and a silver-masked skull. There was no question; Hawkmoth had once again revealed himself.

"Well, my Lady? Plan of attack?"

Ladybug pursed her lips. The last time they had faced off with their nemesis, they had an entire team of superheroes behind them. Granted, she and Chat had managed to put down Lila more than once on their own, but the pair could be difficult. If anything, the best they could hope for would be to divide and conquer.

Of course, that would be easier with another half-dozen heroes. But she couldn’t risk putting her friends in danger again; besides, there wasn’t time to gather them even if she wanted to.

No, there had to be another solution. One that she and Chat could carry out alone.

"Okay, we're gonna have to get them away from each other. You lead Volpina away from Hawkmoth; she should be easy to deter."

"Simple and direct; perfect."

"Hawkmoth…I might be able to talk around him until you manage to hold down Lila. Lead her around the plaza or something, just make sure you can keep an eye on me if--"

_"Have I found a pair of mice hiding away here?"_

Ladybug spun around, yo-yo already whirling in her hand. Chat’s rod shinked from its sheath.

The intruder’s form was dimly lit, but the sweeping train of azure feathers was instantly recognizable.

“Mayura,” Ladybug spat the name.

The blue-clad woman clicked her tongue in dissapproval, “So callous. What have I done to require such venom?”

“Oh I don’t know,” Chat mused, “Perhaps terrorize a city? Use innocent civilians as your pawns? Create sentient life and then kill it without a second thought?”

Mayura chuckled behind her fan, “If you are referring to that Ladybug copy, don’t waste any more tears for it. It was no more alive than a clay statue.”

Ladybug smirked despite the boil in her blood, “Pygmalion might disagree with that sentiment.”

“Guh, you’re bantering is going to make me sick,” A new voice hissed from behind.

The heroes spun around to find themselves flanked by another well known enemy, perched precariously atop a metal chimney.

Volpina twirled her flute in one hand, “You all try to sound so smart, it’s honestly embarrassing.”

Mayura snapped the fan to her side, revealing a glower of mythic proportions, “You were told to wait, child.”

“Oh yeah? Maybe I got tired; maybe I started thinking I could do this better than you. The old man doesn’t have all ni—“

_“CATACLYSM!!!”_

A jet of black ash shot out to the chimney, instantly crumbling Volpina’s foundation. She disappeared over the brick ledge with a yelp.

Ladybug didn’t need a second chance; flinging out her yo-yo she swung across the rooftops in a sloppy get-away. Chat’s black form followed at the edge of her vision.

“Chat!!! What were you thinking?? Why did you—“

“We had to get out and that was the only thing I could think of!” He yelled over the roaring in their ears. “What else did you want me to do?!”

Ladybug stumbled to a landing atop another roof facing the plaza. She almost spat out a retort to her partner when a blast of energy collided with the concrete at her feet.

She jumped back, yo-yo shield ready. Volpina clambered down from rotting wooden shingles.

“You couldn’t wait like two more minutes, you little priss?! Everything would’ve been ready then, but now I gotta deal with you before the real fun can begin.”

“This isn’t already fun?”

Volpina cackled an ear-piercing laugh, “Not as much fun as what the head-honcho has planned!”

Ladybug waited for Chat’s inevitable quip; none came. She risked a glance over her shoulder to find the roof bare beside her. Had Chat already escaped to rejuvenate his kwami? _Why did that stupid cat have to use his cataclysm THEN?!_ If Hawkmoth didn’t strangle her partner before this was over, Ladybug surely would.

The roof gave a violent jolt under their feet. Volpina’s face lit up in giddy madness. “We’re getting closer! Just you wait, Ladybug! Pretty soon I am going to make you eat every nasty thing you ever said about me!”

“You better serve yourself up a healthy portion as well, as I hardly see how this has been one-sided,” Despite the banter, Ladybug remained hyper-aware of every nuance of her surroundings. She had lost track of Mayura, and for some odd reason Volpina was delaying attacking.

And Chat—where was he?!

“Look, can we just get to fighting?” Ladybug was getting far too anxious to stand still any longer. “I’ve got kind of a long to-do list.”

Volpina gasped in theatrical shock, “You don’t like talking with me, Ladybug? And I used to think we could be friends!”

“That option went out the window when you signed up to be a repeat akuma for Hawkmoth.”

Ladybug’s opponent tossed her long hair behind her shoulder, “Oh I’m not stooping that low anymore. I’ve got a pretty good set-up right now—and an even better one coming up shortly.”

Ladybug narrowed her eyes. It wasn’t like Volpina to talk in circles.

“You mean you haven’t noticed? Is your night vision that bad? How on earth do you get anything done without your seeing-eye cat?” Volpina pirouetted, allowing her coat tails to flutter. “Come on, do you _really_ not notice anything different?”

There was something, Ladybug realized with a jolt. The usual tangerine orange of her suit had reddened, and the sash along her waist was missing.

Her eyes drifted to the charm around her neck; in the dimness it radiated in a way no akuma ever could.

“You—but that’s—“

Volpina stroked the charm with pride, “The real deal, Ladybug. This time I have the actual powers on my side, not Hawkmoth’s shoddy recreation.” Her grin widened. “Now, do you wanna rethink that little challenge you gave me? Because I’m not sure you’re actually ready.”

Her skin prickled under the suit. Volpina had nearly bested her many times with only—as she had put it—Hawkmoth’s recreation. With the actual miraculous at her disposal…Ladybug didn’t like her odds.

Another earthquake rocked the ground followed by a steering flash of white light. Ladybug blinked away the spots dancing across her vision.

Volpina squealed in delight, clapping gleefully, “This is it! Oh you gotta come see this, Ladybug!”

She pointed across the ledge to the square where Hawkmoth still stood. Ladybug dared to follow her gaze. At the man’s feet was another figure hunched over an object.

“See that old geezer?” Volpina quizzed, like she was mocking a toddler. “As soon as Hawkmoth gets the last miraculous off him, there is going to be a fireworks show like you’ve never seen!”

_Old geezer? Mirac—_Ladybug’s breath hitched in her throat.

Her master was Hawkmoth’s prisoner.

“Do you know him?” Volpina taunted. “Oh what am I saying, of course you do! He’s the one who gave you your little toys! Tell me, how does that make you feel? Are you scared? Do you wanna cry?”

Ladybug glared at her opponent; she was sick and tired of this hussy’s attitude, “How do I know that’s not an illusion just to lure me down there? How do I know you’re not an illusion? Maybe you don’t have the Fox miraculous and this is another one of your caddy tricks, _Lila!”_

Her cheek suddenly erupted—or that’s what it felt like. The world vaulted under her feet and her vision spun. Nausea was drowned out by the white-hot sting shooting through her face. Her hand barely grazed the spot and caused another convulsion of pain shocked her. Something drizzled from the spot. She dared glance at the tips of her fingers; spots of ruby stained the cherry red.

Volpina smiled, “Does that answer your question?”

The world was still swimming in her eyes, but Ladybug made out the flute in Volpina’s hand, snapped and splintered in half where the wood had struck her.

“Wha—What did you do?! You—you broke your miraculous!!!”

“Oh calm down,” Volpina tossed the useless reed over the edge of the roof. “The miraculous is fine. That was just the accessory. Besides, I’m looking to trade-up pretty soon.”

Ladybug struggled to regain a single clear train of thought. Volpina had broken her flute, yet—as well as she could make out in her daze—Master Fu was still bound at Hawkmoth’s feet. That wasn’t an illusion, she realized with a twist in her gut.

_Looking to trade-up…Last miraculous…_

The twist became a disembowling slash to her system. Her feet slipped as she darted for the ledge.

_Oh please no… _ She should have been wary of an attack from Volpina, but every faculty in her mind focused on the towering figure in the square.

Volpina chuckled behind her, apparently more than happy to watch her rival’s panic.

Ladybug strained to make-out the detail she most feared. The object at Hawkmoth’s feet, between him and his prisoner…a red box.

A black blur flew out from another building, rocketing to the square with a trail of green electricity.

_“CHAT NO!!!”_


	3. The Second Room

Nadja's hands shook violently.

Ladybug’s breathing had become heavy, "He--he just--I had to. Or I--I thought I had to…but he…he…" She locked eyes with Nadja like a cornered animal.

Soot and blood dripped to the table with the rivers of tears, "Oh my g---I killed him…" She wheezed in a ragged breath. _"I killed him!!!"_. An unearthly wail ripped from her throat. Cathedralesque reverberations shrieked through the room with the madness of an imprisoned demon.

No second ran through Nadja's mind; she raced for the door, toppling the metal chair in her escape.

The door slammed open; three policemen clamored around the manic girl. Nadja pressed her back to the wall, her need to escape halted by the scene before her.

Ladybug yanked at the chains, her wails only growing louder. One of the policemen took a vice grip on her shoulders and thrust her to the table. The small girl seemed possessed by an unnatural strength, throwing the man off her with another scream. Another man joined the first, and still another as they fought to refrain control over her.

She writhed in their grasp. The chair clattered and shook against the restraints that bolted it to the floor; any longer and the stakes themselves would rip from the concrete. But with one last shriek she fell to the table. Ragged whimpers now shuffled through the hauntingly still air.

Nadja made no recovery from the girl’s screams before nightmarish sound ripped the air. Shouts and running tore through the hallway outside._"He got out!" "Get him down!" "He broke the chains!"_

A door banged open and released a roar--a true feral roar--that resounded through the marrow of Nadja's bones. As inhuman as it was, she feared she knew the human voice that created it.

Although the more he roared, the more that humanity stripped from the sound.

_"DON'T TOUCH HER!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HER?! STAY AWAY FROM HER!!"_

A sharp thud and a cry of pain rang out; voices hollered to hold the suspect down. Nadja dared a glance at the girl still pressed to the table; only muffled sobs continued to seeped from her.

Officer Raincomprix appeared in the doorway, wide-eyed and panting, "Ms. Chamack, I will escort you out."

Her survival instinct outweighed the terror in her nerves. Despite the knocking in her knees, Nadja dared not fall even two steps behind the officer.

A rasp echoed from the second room, "Wait! Wait, please!"

The very air froze at the pure desperation in his plea.

"She…that's not what happened. That's not everything. Let me tell. Please. I can't let her hurt herself." His voice had become so small; it seemed almost impossible that voice had been so violently ferocious moments before.

A stone dropped in Nadja’s stomach. He sounded so small and alone; a pitiful creature begging for mercy, but not for himself.

"Ms. Chamack? Should we leave?" Officer Raincomprix’s question broke the stillness. Any authority the officer's voice had once held was gone.

A spark kindled in Nadja’s bones. She didn't even realize her feet were carrying her down the hall until she stood in the final door at the end of the hall.

The low fire in her gut snapped and flared at the sight; five officers pinned the black-suited hero. The ash of crumbled handcuffs drifted past her eyes, fixed on the boy. He was just that; a boy. How old could he be? He seemed so frail whimpering under the knee pressed against his ribs.

Nadja lowered herself to her knees before the boy. His tear-stained eyes inched open, perhaps sensing her presence. The faintest glimmer of hope in his green stare sent a pang through her chest.

“What happened?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What’s Chat’s side of the story? Chime off in the comments what you think REALLY happened! You ideas may influence the final outcome!


End file.
